Kentucky Derby Draw 2021: Post Positions Viewing Info, Field and Race Preview

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

How important is the post-position draw for the Kentucky Derby?.

According to Christina Moore of America's Best Racing, there have been 10 Kentucky Derby winners to have started from the No. 5 post, which is where 91 past horses have started. The most recent victor to come from that post was Always Dreaming in 2017. No other post has produced more Derby winners or had a higher success rate (11 percent).

The No. 10 post has generated nine winners and the Nos. 1 and 8 posts have each produced eight champions. So none of those are bad spots for a horse to be.

However, there has never been a Kentucky Derby winner to come from the No. 17 post, despite the fact that 42 horses have been there. The Nos. 18, 19 and 20 posts have produced only four total winners, but there have also been fewer horses to start from them.

On Tuesday, the posts for the 2021 Kentucky Derby will be set, so we'll soon know where the 20 horses in this year's field will be starting for Saturday's race at Churchill Downs. The draw could also impact the betting lines.

Here's everything else you need to know as this year's Derby gets closer.

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Kentucky Derby Draw 2021

Date: Tuesday, April 27

Time: 10:45 a.m. ET

Live Stream: KentuckyDerby.com

Kentucky Derby Field, Odds

Essential Quality 3-1

Rock Your World 6-1

Known Agenda 8-1

Highly Motivated 10-1

Hot Rod Charlie 10-1

Medina Spirit 15-1

Midnight Bourbon 20-1

Mandaloun 20-1

Super Stock 20-1

Soup and Sandwich 30-1

O Besos 30-1

Like the King 40-1

Sainthood 40-1

King Fury 40-1

Bourbonic 40-1

Helium 40-1

Dynamic One 40-1

Hidden Stash 50-1

Keepmeinmind 50-1

Brooklyn Strong 50-1

Odds via Vegas Insider.

Preview

Last year's Kentucky Derby was an unorthodox one. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the race was postponed to September and held without spectators in attendance. By the time the Derby was over, there were no longer hopes of a Triple Crown winner, as the Belmont Stakes had taken place in June.

Things are feeling a bit more normal this time around at Churchill Downs. The Derby is back to being held on the first Saturday in May, and there will be some fans allowed to attend. It'll also kick off the Triple Crown season, with the winner looking to go on to earn victories at the Preakness and Belmont.

There are plenty of strong horses in this year's field that could end up in that position. But the early favorite to win the Derby is Essential Quality, who owns a 5-0 career record and notched victories at the Southwest Stakes and Blue Grass Stakes earlier this year.

If Essential Quality can win the Run for the Roses, the colt would make Brad Cox the first Louisville-born trainer to win the race. Cox has never previously entered a horse in the Kentucky Derby, but he has two in this year's field, as he'll also have Mandaloun taking a post at Churchill Downs.

There's also the potential for a different type of history in this year's Kentucky Derby. Last year, Bob Baffert won his record-tying sixth Derby when Authentic raced to victory. This year, he'll have the opportunity to break that tie with Ben Jones, if Medina Spirit (the lone Baffert-trained horse in the field) can race to victory.

Medina Spirit has finished first or second in each of his first five races, and he's coming off a second-place finish at the Santa Anita Derby earlier this month.

"He's like Joe Frazier, man. He fights," Baffert said, per Art Wilson of the Los Angeles Daily News. "He's a fighter and he shows up. He's doing well, and there's some good horses in there. He's one of those horses where if somebody stubs their toe, maybe he'll get lucky. You never know."

Medina Spirit will be ridden by jockey John Velazquez, who won his third career Kentucky Derby when he was victorious with Authentic last year.

For bettors looking for an even bigger dark horse, Midnight Bourbon could be a smart bet. The colt has placed in the top three in each of his first seven races, and he's trained by Steve Asmussen, who has previously entered 21 horses in the Derby but has yet to win the event.

Midnight Bourbon will also be ridden by two-time Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Mike Smith. This will be the 27th time that Smith will be participating in the Derby.